Food and beverage pairing is an art. Sommeliers artfully combine fine wines with foods that complement each other, and a cicerone, or beer sommelier, does the same thing with finely crafted brews. Food and tea pairings are also becoming extremely popular as foodies continue to seek out the best that the beverage world has to offer. But what about coffee? Whether we realize it or not almost everyone who drinks coffee has a preferred food that they combine with their coffee. Perhaps it’s a breakfast pastry or a sweet dessert; after all, the coffee cake doesn’t carry that name because it lists coffee as an ingredient. Most coffee drinkers automatically combine their morning cup with a favorite food, and an unconscious pairing is born. However, what about sipping a fine boutique coffee varietal with something more savory? We’ve decided to shelve the sweets for a bit and investigate some incredible savory dishes that stand up well to a rich, acidic, and full bodied brew like Finca Deborah Panama Geisha and will allow you to give your wine key a much needed break. Beef Dishes A well prepared beef dish is always a thing of beauty and a delight for a carnivore’s taste buds, and most beef dishes are typically served with a robust red wine. While we certainly can’t dismiss this obvious pairing, it’s also worth noting that many of the characteristics of a good wine can be found in a good coffee like Finca Deborah Geisha. The notes of honey and citrus combined with a slight acidic bite complement beef in a new and exciting way. A beef...

Panama is one of the most bio-diverse areas on the entire planet. With more bird species than most other countries on Earth, and a host of other wildlife like mammals and insects, Panama’s landscapes are teeming with life, even if you don’t always see it. While spotting a monkey or a sloth in its native habitat is always a thrilling sight, Panama’s birds are one of the main factors in this country’s biodiversity. From the tiniest of hummingbirds to large and awkward turkey vultures, one can expect to encounter an array of colorful, unique, and downright strange avian creatures in almost every corner of the country. In fact, Panama is home to nearly 10% of the world’s bird species. Birds are particularly sensitive to the intrusion of humans into their territory, and the removal of native forest for sun grown coffee estates has been shown to contribute to bird loss in the area. As a shade grown coffee estate, Finca Deborah’s Panama Geisha is produced in a way that works with nature instead of against it, and this includes harmonizing with the wildlife that calls our land home. Natural Pest Control While the altitude of Finca Deborah contributes a great deal to the reduction in pests, the many types of birds that live here do more to control pests than any insecticide would, and they do it better. The birds are most active at dawn and dusk, and we’ll see them flitting from coffee tree to coffee tree, eating pests along the way. Most bird species are very territorial, and this contributes greatly to the overall level of pest...

With the many varied opinions of Starbucks, notwithstanding, it comes as no surprise to many that the worldwide coffee chain opened its first international location in the country of Japan. The vibrant Asian nation has long been a trendsetter in many ways, but the rise of coffee culture in Japan has been less of a steady climb and more of a circuitous detour. As one strolls the frenetic streets of Tokyo and observes the Japanese people in action it would be hard to decipher the fact that coffee was not always the drink of choice. The neighborhood of Harajuku, long known for its domination of the style world and the epicenter of iconic Japanese fashion, throngs with people clutching the ubiquitous cup of coffee, one might think that the country’s coffee culture is the creation of the younger generations. However, as it is in most of the world, the idea of a coffee culture in Japan hearkens back to generations past, and the story is one that touches upon the East meets West theme, with a hearty dose of tradition tossed in as well. Coffee and Colonialism Coffee reached Japan in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, which is about the same time that coffee was introduced by the Ottoman Empire to parts of Europe. However, the brew was mainly consumed by the members of the Dutch groups who lived near Nagasaki. While many Japanese enjoyed drinking coffee it was the tealeaf, as it had been for centuries, which was the drink and preferred by most of the population. Despite what some might construe as resistance to coffee,...